Book Review: Frederik Sandwich and the Earthquake that Couldn't Possibly Be by Kevin John Scott

Frederik Sandwich and the Earthquake that Couldn't Possibly Be by Kevin John Scott is the first book i a middle grade series. At the age of eleven Frederik Sandwich awakens to an earthquake that couldn’t possibly be. His town is nowhere near a fault line and no earthquake has ever been recorded there. But when he questions what could have caused the shaking, he realizes he may have uncovered more than he bargained for. Desperately wanting to know what happened, but not the type of person to break rules or push adults for answers, Frederik is lucky (or not, depending on how you look at it) to meet a mysterious stranger, Pernille. She is the sort of person to break rules and demand answers, and is determined to partner with him to get to the bottom of the mystery. It’s a mystery that will lead the two outsiders through abandoned train tunnels, into hidden library rooms, and to the shadowy corridors of City Hall in the dead of night as they try to figure out what could have caused inexplicable rumblings in their small town.

Frederik Sandwich and the Earthquake that Couldn't Possibly Be started off slowly for me, but it certainly picked up. Fredrick just wants to be accepted and fit in, and his parents are doing the best to do the same. But in their town a slight accent of difference in appearance is enough to label you as an outsider and fodder for teasing and abuse. It takes Frederik a while to see this, with the help or Pernille- who is equally ostracized. Together they find friendship, a mystery, and a small portion of the truth behind the strange happenings in town. As a fan of children's adventures I will admit that I figured out who was bad and good fairly early on, but the journey was about the kids figuring it out.  I liked the mystery, and the feel of the book. I also liked the message that was thread through the story about prejudice. I was a little disappointed when I reached the end, because it felt like the story just got started. All the major players and plot points were on the table and the action about to begin, and then the next page was the acknowledgments. 

Frederik Sandwich and the Earthquake that Couldn't Possibly Be is an engaging story for readers that like mystery and adventures. This is very much a series that would require reading in order, and I would suggest having the next book on hand well before ending the first.